You’re braver than you think you are.
It takes courage to recognise that it’s time to change. It takes courage to discuss whether bariatric and metabolic surgery could help you. And it takes courage to decide to proceed.
So, here you are. You’ve met your surgeon, booked your procedure and are following all the pre-op advice you’ve been given to get your body ready for surgery.
But how do you prepare yourself mentally? Here are five tips to help smooth your path through surgery and beyond.
Set realistic expectations
Bariatric and metabolic surgery can make a significant difference to your weight and your health. But it is just one step on your journey to better health and quality of life.
After the procedure, you must make and sustain changes to your diet and activity levels. Your surgeon can help you gain a realistic understanding of how much weight you may lose over a certain period of time.
Try not to compare your results with those of others. Everyone is different. The surgery you have, plus changes to your diet and lifestyle, all play a role in the results. Your doctor can explain more about the extent and rate of weight loss you can expect following surgery.
Get good support
Don’t try to go it alone after surgery. The help of your healthcare team is vital for success, but so is support from loved ones.
Aim to surround yourself with friends and family who have your best interests at heart. Tell the people you trust the most how they can help you – maybe they can join you for walks, voice their encouragement or celebrate with you when you reach a new milestone.
Some people also find joining a support group in person or online helpful. This provides a different kind of support from your family and friends. Here, you’re talking to people who’ve also been through bariatric and metabolic surgery and understand your experience.
Then there’s professional support – our door is never closed to you. Every one of our patients enters a 2-year follow-up plan to benefit from skilled ongoing support.
Combating weight and metabolic issues can be a life-long journey. As such, beyond the two years, we would still highly recommend yearly follow-up with the team. All your subsequent follow-ups will be bulk billed so that we can solely focus on ongoing patient care.
Address underlying issues
Most patients meet with our psychologist during their bariatric and metabolic surgery. This is vital in helping you prepare for surgery and make lifestyle changes afterwards.
While genetic and medical factors may influence weight gain, emotional eating may also play its part.
Our psychologist can help you explore any emotional issues involved in your weight gain and help you learn new ways to manage any areas of stress in your life. This is also a good time to devise coping strategies that help to ease the adjustment period after surgery.
Practice self-compassion
What’s your self-talk like? If you’re often criticising or blaming yourself, use this time to practice self-compassion.
That means talking to yourself as if you were your own best friend – respond to yourself with encouraging, affirming words that acknowledge how much progress you’ve made.
Wean yourself off the toxins
Alcohol and tobacco use can destabilise your efforts to lose weight, regardless of whether you’re having surgery.
Alcohol is high in calories and lowers your inhibitions, putting you at potential risk of overeating. You might also be advised to avoid alcohol altogether for a time after surgery, so it’s important to kick it beforehand.
The alcohol-free lifestyle movement is growing in popularity. Check out groups like Hello Sunday Morning for information, advice and support.
Smoking raises the risk of post-surgical complications and is linked with numerous health problems. Quitting is vital to getting the most from surgery and becoming the healthiest version of yourself.
Your doctor can refer you for appropriate support if you need help to quit smoking, alcohol or any other substances you rely on.
How we can help
As Australia’s first internationally accredited Centre of Bariatric Excellence, we provide high-quality, evidence-based bariatric and metabolic surgery with wraparound care from a skilled multidisciplinary team.
To find out more, please call us on (02) 9587 8813 or complete our enquiry form.
All information is general in nature and is not intended to be a substitute for professional medical advice. Any surgical or invasive procedure carries risks. Dr. Qiuye Cheng can consult with you to confirm if this advice is right for you.
